flipShabbat chicken in the style of Bombay's Jews, saffron rice
Shabbat chicken in the style of Bombay's Jews, saffron rice
Why this dish? Anish Kapoor's mother came from an Iraqi Jewish (Baghdadi) family in India — her maternal grandfather is said to have been a cantor in a synagogue. The Jewish communities of Bombay prepared a slow-simmered chicken for Shabbat, served with fragrant rice, blending Indian spices with Middle Eastern heritage.
Golden-browned chicken simmered gently with onions, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon, served with basmati rice tinted with saffron. A diaspora cuisine, at the crossroads of Baghdad and Bombay, mild and fragrant rather than fiery.
Dans la famille de ma mère, le vendredi soir était une couleur autant qu'un repas : ce riz jaune de safran qu'on découvrait sous le couvercle, comme un pigment qui aurait pris la forme d'un grain. Mes aïeux avaient porté leurs épices de Bagdad jusqu'à l'Inde, et dans une seule assiette tenaient deux pays, deux langues, deux exils. Le poulet mijotait lentement, sans hâte, parce que le sacré n'aime pas la précipitation. Je ne suis pas un homme de rituel, mais cette douceur dorée, je la garde en moi comme une lumière du dedans.
- •Chicken — one, cut into pieces (centerpiece)
- •Onions — several, sliced (simmering base)
- •Ginger and garlic — crushed (aromatic base)
- •Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves — a few (mild garam masala)
- •Basmati rice — two handfuls per guest (accompaniment)
- •Saffron — a few threads (color and flavor (signature))
Shabbat chicken in the style of Bombay's Jews, saffron rice
Golden-browned chicken simmered gently with onions, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon, served with basmati rice tinted with saffron. A diaspora cuisine, at the crossroads of Baghdad and Bombay, mild and fragrant rather than fiery.
Why this dish? Anish Kapoor's mother came from an Iraqi Jewish (Baghdadi) family in India — her maternal grandfather is said to have been a cantor in a synagogue. The Jewish communities of Bombay prepared a slow-simmered chicken for Shabbat, served with fragrant rice, blending Indian spices with Middle Eastern heritage.
Dans la famille de ma mère, le vendredi soir était une couleur autant qu'un repas : ce riz jaune de safran qu'on découvrait sous le couvercle, comme un pigment qui aurait pris la forme d'un grain. Mes aïeux avaient porté leurs épices de Bagdad jusqu'à l'Inde, et dans une seule assiette tenaient deux pays, deux langues, deux exils. Le poulet mijotait lentement, sans hâte, parce que le sacré n'aime pas la précipitation. Je ne suis pas un homme de rituel, mais cette douceur dorée, je la garde en moi comme une lumière du dedans.
Ingredients (period version)
- Chicken — one, cut into pieces (centerpiece)
- Onions — several, sliced (simmering base)
- Ginger and garlic — crushed (aromatic base)
- Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves — a few (mild garam masala)
- Basmati rice — two handfuls per guest (accompaniment)
- Saffron — a few threads (color and flavor (signature))
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs and drumsticks — 1.2 kg (centerpiece)
- Onions — 3 large, sliced (simmering base)
- Ginger — 3 cm (aromatic base)
- Garlic — 4 cloves (aromatic base)
- Green cardamom — 6 pods (flavor)
- Cinnamon stick — 1 (flavor)
- Cloves — 4 (flavor)
- Basmati rice — 300 g (accompaniment)
- Saffron — 1 generous pinch, infused in a little warm milk (color and flavor (signature))
Method
- Brown the chicken pieces on all sides in a little oil, set aside.
- Slowly soften the onions until golden, add garlic-ginger and the whole spices.
- Return the chicken to the pot, add water to cover, cover and let simmer for 35-40 minutes over low heat.
- Cook the basmati rice in salted water, drain while still firm.
- Pour the infused saffron over part of the rice to create golden grains, then mix gently.
- Plate the saffron rice, top with the chicken and coat with the reduced cooking juices.
How it was made : Bombay's Bene Israel and Baghdadi Jews (including the Sassoon family) developed a Shabbat cuisine that observed the laws of kashrut while borrowing local spices: little chili, plenty of warm fragrance, and rice as the foundation. This recipe is 'inspired by' that living tradition, with no claim to ritual authenticity.
The contemporary twist : Plate the rice in a smooth, concave dome hollowed out with a spoon — a small 'void' at the center where the chicken is placed, echoing the concavities that haunt Kapoor's work.
Sources : Esther David, Bene Appétit: The Cuisine of Indian Jews, HarperCollins India, 2021 · Claudia Roden, The Book of Jewish Food, Knopf, 1996
Anish Kapoor · Charactorium
